Hear Nebraska is excited to announce the musical lineup for the 2017 Good Living Tour, presented by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). In all, 30 acts comprise a sonically diverse roster of bands, each of which will perform at free, all-ages concerts in one of eight Greater Nebraska communities: Hebron, Auburn, Imperial, Red Cloud, McCook, Norfolk, Lyons and Hastings.
Nebraska DED Director Courtney Dentlinger said a top priority is to attract talented young people that will strengthen rural communities.
“The Good Living Tour events help showcase the dynamic cultural opportunities that make Nebraska such a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Dentlinger said.
Concert headliners include: Belles & Whistles (country), Lucas Kellison & the Undisco Kids (funk/soul), The Talbott Brothers (folk rock), Brad Hoshaw & the Seven Deadlies (folk/blues/rock), JAGAJA (indie pop), Kris Lager Band (blues/rock), Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal (soul) and AZP (hip-hop/rock).
In its third year, The Good Living Tour kicks off by traveling to two new communities — Hebron and Auburn — and returns to six of its past stops. One of them is Red Cloud, where Heritage Tourism Development Director Jarrod McCartney says the Starke Round Barn concert in 2016 was a hit.
“Beyond just having a good time, there was a real sense of unity in the audience and a feeling of pride in what we were doing,” McCartney said. “As soon as the concert was finished, we were all champing at the bit to get started on bringing it back to town again. The concert helped demonstrate what we’re capable of here in a faraway place like Red Cloud.”
This year, on the day of each concert, Hear Nebraska staff and performing artists will lead an educational workshop designed to give every community the tools and knowledge to increase the presence and support of original music in their community. Topics could include: attracting touring artists; facilitating local music production; starting a sustainable music venue or concert series; helping an existing band expand their reach; and engaging and encouraging support from the community.
Hear Nebraska Program Manager Aaron Markley is excited about advancing the tour’s mission this year.
“We have a model now, in Hear Grand Island, that exemplifies what we hope the tour can lead to in communities throughout the state and the benefit it can elicit,” Markley says. “This year, we will be putting significant effort into working with community members to ensure the presentation of original Nebraska music isn’t a once-a-year event, but an ongoing effort that is supported and valued by every generation, but especially by Nebraska’s younger population.”
View the dates and lineups for each community below:
HEBRON
Friday, June 9 (RSVP here)
Location: Roosevelt Park
- Belles & Whistles (country)
- Mad Dog & the 20/20s (ska/rock)
- Bokr Tov (rock)
- Seven Days Sober (rock)
Community Sponsors: Nemaha County Hospital, Nemaha County Development Foundation Fund, Lifetime Vision Center
AUBURN
Saturday, June 10 (RSVP here)
Location: Legion Memorial Park
- Lucas Kellison & the Undisco Kids (funk/soul)
- FREAKABOUT (hard rock)
- Daniel Christian (rock)
- Ian Miller (singer/songwriter)
Community sponsors: Nemaha County Hospital, Nemaha County Development Foundation Fund, Lifetime Vision Center
IMPERIAL
Saturday, July 1 (RSVP here)
Location: 8th & Broadway
- The Talbott Brothers (folk rock)
- Rothsteen (soul/R&B)
- Universe Contest (indie rock)
- Special Guest
Community sponsors: Imperial Community Foundation Fund, Chase County Tourism
RED CLOUD
Saturday, July 15 (RSVP here)
Location: Starke Round Barn
- Brad Hoshaw & the Seven Deadlies (folk/blues/rock)
- The Ramparts (hard rock)
- Lester Junction (rock)
Community sponsors: Red Cloud Community Foundation Fund, Willa Cather Foundation, Red Cloud Chamber of Commerce, City of Red Cloud, South Central State Bank, Webster County Community Hospital Foundation, Heritage Bank, Casey’s General Stores, The Red Cloud B&B at the Kaley House, Republican Valley Arts Council.
MCCOOK
Saturday, July 29 (Info here)
Location: Barnett Park
- JAGAJA (indie pop)
- High Up (soul/punk)
- J. Crum (hip-hop)
Community sponsors: Prairie Roots Festival, Community Hospital, McCook Community Foundation, Fund, Red Willow County Tourism Board, McCook National Bank, Acme Printing, McCook Chamber of Commerce
NORFOLK
Friday, Aug 4
Location: Downtown Norfolk, Johnny Carson Mural
- Kris Lager Band (blues/rock)
- Thick Paint (indie rock)
- HAKIM (hip-hop)
- The Ambulanters (post-rock)
Community sponsors: ForkFest,Downtown Norfolk Association, City of Norfolk Economic Development, Norfolk Convetion & Visitors Bureua.
LYONS
Friday, Aug 18 (RSVP here)
Location: Storefront Theater
- Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal (soul)
- Wagon Blasters (tractor punk)
- Jocelyn (singer/songwriter)
Community sponsors: TBD
HASTINGS
Saturday, Aug 19 (Info here)
Location: Brickyard Park
- AZP (hip-hop/rock)
- Miwi La Lupa (folk/indie rock)
- Dominique Morgan (soul/R&B)
- Andrea von Kampen (folk)
- Samuel Scott McCumber (singer/songwriter)
Community sponsors: SolFest
* * *
The 2017 Good Living Tour is presented by the Department of Economic Development, and made possible with generous support from Peter Kiewit Foundation, Nebraska Community Foundation, Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Pinnacle Bank, Nebraska Loves Public Schools, Union Pacific, The Center for Rural Affairs and the Nebraska Arts Council.
* * *
Editor’s note: a previous version of this article listed the Norfolk concert as occurring at the Starke Round Barn, which is in Red Cloud. The Friday, Aug 4 concert will happen downtown, at the Johnny Carson Mural.